Locking device for motor cars, motor cycles, and cycles for prevention of theft



Feb. 23 1926.

W. PARTRIDGE LOCKING DnvIOE FOR MOTOR GARS, MOTOR OYOLE AND CYCLES FOR PREVENTION OF THEFT Filed Nov. 22, 1924 PatentedY Fes. 23, 192e.

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER PARTRIDGE, OF CHADWELL HEATH, ENGLAND.`

. LOCKING DEVICE ECR Moron CARS, Moron CYCLES, AND CYCLES non PREVENTION Y 0F THEFT.

Application filed November 22, 1824. Serial No. 751,427.

To all whom 'it may concern.' Be it known that I, IVALTnu Pnnrnioon, a subject ofthe King of Great Britain, residing at 2 Fern Villas, High Road, Chadwell Heath, Essex, England, have invented a new and useful Locking Device for Motor Cars, Motor Cycles, and Cycles for Prevention ofV Theft, otwhich` the following is a specification. f i This invention relates to means for preventing the Aunauthorized use of motor cars and motor and other cycles. y

According to the invention I construct the steering rod or column in two independent parts connected respectively with the steeringwheels and the steering hand-wheel or handle-bars and normally locked together by a key the removal of which prevents the vehicle being steered. In a suitable arrangement for carrying out the invention the upper portion of the steering rod or column is made of two tubes .fitting one upon the other, the inner one being a continuation of the remainder of the said rod or column whilst the outer one is attached to the steering hand-wheel or handle-bars.l One or more slots is or are formed in both tubes with which a corresponding bit or bits on a key inserted through other slots in thetwo tubes isor are designed to engage or lock when the key is turned, thereby locking the two tubes together to enable the steering to be effected by the operation of the steering hand-wheel or handle-bars. The locking slot or slots in the-*inner tube is or are advantageously closed,` when the tubes areunlocked, by a sliding shutter or shutters operated. by a spring or springs-and designed to be opened by the key when the' latter is turned into the locking position. The key slot in the inner tube is also advantageously Imadewider than is required forthe entrance of the key, the edges of the slot being serrated or toothed to prevent the rotation of Vcranked wires or the like which might be inserted through the key slots to Veii'ecta locking together of the two tubes. A sleeve is 'also provided 'on the outer tube to cover the slots with which the bit or bits ot the key, co-operate.

ToA prevent a motor-car or ,motor-cycle proyirledwith my improvements from being started until the key is in the locking position I arrange the usual switch controlled earthing wire of the magneto or other spark generator, in connection with the two-part steering rod or column in such a manner that the said generator is earthed thereby until the key is placed in position and operated to lock the said parts of the said steering rod or column together.

This is advantageously effected by a switch operated by the said key and comprising a rod in circuit with the portion oi the earthing wire connected to the magneto or the like and slidable longitudinally in insulated bearings in the inner tube of the two-part rod or column and normally making an earth Contact by spring pressure through the medium of the said tube. rl`his switch rod has an arm for making contact with the portion of the earthing wire containing the usual earthing switch, when the said switch rod is operating by the locking key, the point of the rod against which the key acts being protected by a piece of insulating material.

To enable the invention to be fully understood I will describe yit by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a sectional elevation ot a steering hand-wheel and a portion of the steering column of a motor vehicle showing the locking device in accordance with the 'invention with the key in the locking position.

Figure 2 is a view at right angles to Figure l, of a portion or" the steering column and hand-wheel but with the key removed.`

l is a section on the liuc 27)-3 Figure Y, Figure l, but drawn to a larger scale, and

Figure ``l is a section on the line -l--l, Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5 5, Figure 3, but with the key removed and Figure 6 is a similar view to Figure 3, but showing the key in another position. i Figures 7 and S are, respectively, elevations at right angles of the operating key and Figure 9 is a view looking in the direction ot the arrow, Figure 7 Figure 10 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 6, but showing the switch device arcolumn ot' a motor-car, the tube a fitting to yprevent the insertion therein of a i key g to move the shutters against'the prcsv i "whi'cli' It und Yit;advantageous; to'.

over the tube b and having the steering hand-wheel c attached thereto, whilst the inner tube b is attached to the remainder Vof lower portion, not shown, ot the said column. rhe tube a. is held in positionin one direction longitudinally ot the tube Z) Aby thc discd secui'edby'a screw to a plug c'tixed in 'the said tube b, and in the opposite 'direction bythe bracket clfrattached to the wheel c and extending over the disc d, but

it is tree to be rotated on the said tube when' the wheel cv is turned so that the car is inapa'bie 'oit being` steered by the said wneel.

7 is the key for locking the tubes a and b together to enable the car to be steered, and 7i, t' indicate, respectively, the slots in the said tubes c and b designed, when'in register, to receive the bits y' onV the key lwhen soV the latter is inserted through the vertical lots/b, Z in the tubes a and Z), respectively, into the position indicated in Figure 6, the key, after such insertion, being turned into the horizontal position indicated in Figures l and 3 to engage the said bits with the said slots, into which they tit without any shake. wider than the slot and serrated on both edges to prevent Vthe rotation ot cranked wires or the like which vmight beY inserted ,through the key slots .to effect a locking together ot the two tubes slot 7c is made of sinuous or corrugated Jform flat bar which might be employed for locking the parts together, the key being made of corresponding form in section. y

m indicates the sliding shutters in the slots Zi Ator closing them in the unlocked position et the tubes 0, and b, each shutter having a lug or projection a with which the bits y' make contact in the rotation ot the sure `oit springs o. y

p is the sleeve attached to the tube rij to cover the slotsl it, il and prrovidedswitli a slot g in Yregister with the slot la to allowthe insertion ofthe key g. The'said key is prof vided with a spring tongue 1 which snaps into the said slot g when the saidkey is inV vthe`horizontal or locking position and maintains it in this position.

es, Figures 10, 1l ,and 12is vthe-switch inploy in circuit with the usual eartliing wire' 15'- Ot' rEhe slot Z in the tube Z) is shown.

a and t, -The the magnetoA u, or other spark generator. The said switch is in the torni ot a rod slidable in the insulated bearings o, o! in thc tube Z) and carries an arm fw directly connected to the magneto or the like by one tubes together, tocinove the rod s down` against the pressure of the spring s2 and cause the arm w to make contact withand complete the circuit ofthe two parts of the earth wire t; is the piece ot' insulating materialen the end of the rod s with which thekey g makes contact.

Claimsy l. The combination with asteering column comprising two concentric tubes rotatably supported with respect to each other,

and a hand operated steering device se-Y curedto one of said tubes, said tube-s being provided with vertical registering slots for-theinsertion ot a key, and laterally disposed registering slots for the reception ot 'locking bits on the key, vto locksaid tubes together when the key is inserted and turned.'

2. The combination with a steering column, comprising two concentric tubes rotatably supported with respect to each other, and a hand operated steering device secure-d to one' of said tubes, said tubes being provided with vertical registering slots tor the insertion ot a key, land laterallyY disposed registering slots for the reception ot locking bits ,on the key, to lock said tubes together when the key is inserted and turned, the'outer vertical slot being of coirugated form, and the inner vertical slot having its edgesserrated, and the key being corrugated to conform to the outer slot.

3. The combination with a steering column, comprising two concentric tubes ro-` tatably supported with respect to each other,

' and a'. hand operated steering device secured to one ot said tubes, said tubes kbeing provided withvertical registering slots tor the insertion ot a key, and laterally disposed registering slots for the reception of locking bits onthe key, to lock said tubes together when the' key is inserted and turnedinterior sliding shutters for' closing the bit engaging slots, springs for moving the shutters to closed position, and projections on said shutters adapted to bc engaged by the key to permit the bits'krto venter said bit engaging slots.

Le; The combination with a Vstee'riiigfcolj-"uinn, comprising two G Oricentric tubes rotatably supported with rv4 peet tofeac'l'iot-lier,

and e a hand; operated ,steeringY device'l secured to. of

I v@Seidtubes'Seid. tubes-,bf xeroviddwitli vertical registering slots for the CII insertion of :t key, and laterally disposed registering slots for' the reception of locking bits on the key, to look said tubes together when the key is inserted and turned, a switch fol' cutting the ignition mechanism into and out of operation, a spring fof normally moving said switch to inoperative position,

said switch having :t part in the path of said key when the latter is rotated to engage the bits with the bit engaging slots to operl0 ate said switch to place theignition meehenism in operative condition.

VALTER PARTRIDGE, 

